Amazon Prime Video App for PC, Smart TV, Windows 10 & MAC

Amazon is a well-known brand that provides all types of services to millions of consumers from different demographics. With the availability of movies, TV shows, and all sorts of original digital video content, Amazon Prime Video, the company’s Video-on-Demand (VoD) service, is set to secure a market that emerged once Netflix broadened its streaming services in 2007. 

With this, Amazon Prime Video is unique in the VoD industry, becoming a mainstream sensation. With its well-known brand name and a vast subscriber base in the US, it is easy to assume that it will easily reach and enter the international market. 

It is predicted that Amazon will reach about 180 million subscribers worldwide by the year 2026. It seems that the younger audience is very interested in viewing Amazon's videos. 

Around 39% of those who responded to the survey indicated 18 to 34 years of age and subscribed to Amazon Prime Video. Half of the people who responded to the survey whose ages were between 35 to 44 said they Amazon Prime subscribers.

Amidst the pandemic (2020), where most people were either encouraged/commanded to stay at home, Amazon Prime Video became part of the three top companies that provide digital video content. The other two companies are Netflix and Disney+. 

But in the US, Amazon Prime Video occupies second place in the VoD market share. And this statistic may soon change as other service providers plan to increase their subscriber base soon. 

At the moment of this article’s writing, there are around 117 million subscribers worldwide for Amazon Prime Video. 

Background

In their collection, some videos are offered for free. Still, the company has invested a lot in developing original content for television and offering exclusive sports events coverage. 

One might think you would need to be a member of Amazon Prime or Prime Video to access those particular video content. 

But according to their website, you would still be able to purchase or rent from the selection of titles in their Prime Video even without an Amazon Prime and Prime Video membership. But you would be given a code once you have registered your device with Amazon. 

For some devices, you would be given the option to sign in using your Amazon account information. It is essential to know that Amazon uses adaptive bitrate technology for its streaming services. 

It means they adjust the video’s quality depending on the type of device and the internet connection speed. You need to be aware of the minimum broadband speeds for different video resolutions. 

For SD quality video, you would need a minimum broadband speed of 900 kbps. For HD quality video, you would need a minimum broadband speed of 3.5 Mbps. Finally, for 4K video quality, you would need a minimum broadband speed of 15 Mbps. 

Before we discuss the Amazon Prime Video app on different types of devices, let us take a look at some cool features that you might be interested to know.

● You can set the parental controls and protect your children from accessing content that may not appropriate for their age or current maturity. You would need to set a PIN (5-digits) that would need to be entered to access the other video categories with a mature rating. The PIN would also be needed to make purchases, protecting you from any unnecessary or unauthorized purchases.

● You may be aware that VPN lets you use region-restricted content, but according to Amazon’s website, that is not always the case. Regardless, they have offered offline downloads so you can watch digital video content even without WiFi access or when the content is locked geographically. 

● I love the X-ray feature! Because Amazon owns IMDb, there is available information about the different actors, actresses, filmmakers, composers, and different trivia about certain scenes and the whole movie itself. You just need to tap the screen to access this feature. 

● If you need to step out, or you may fall asleep while watching, you have the option of turning off the auto-pay option so that you will not miss any of the episodes of your favorite TV shows or series. Just head to settings> playback tab>auto-play off.

● If you like free stuff, you can watch the collection from IMDb Freedive using your browser or Amazon Prime app on your mobile device. Of course, the free stuff comes with ads. 

Ways to use Amazon Prime Video

Amazon Prime Video App for PC, Smart TV, Windows 10 & MAC? Now let’s see some of the many ways to use Amazon Prime Video and enjoy the videos it offers.

1.  PC (Windows 10)

Regarding the PC, there used to be a time when there was no dedicated app, and the only way you can access the videos from Amazon was by using a browser. With a browser, you can access a seamless video experience. Only make sure you have a secure and reliable internet connection. 

But there is now a dedicated desktop app available for Windows 10 on the Microsoft Store.  Here are some useful benefits that the dedicated app offers compared to when you’re just using the browser. 

● Now, you can download videos to watch them on your schedule and without using up your data. The app allows you the convenience of using offline downloads for those videos that you would like to experience in places where an internet connection may not be readily available.

● You may now rent or purchase from the collections of movies, tv shows, and other digital video content, but you may need to check if this service is available in your country or region.

● You can enjoy the X-ray feature with the app to view IMDB information (as mentioned above) about the movie and trivia celebrities about certain scenes.

● You get to enjoy a bigger screen using a computer monitor compared to using a mobile device.

● You can also opt to use an emulator and use the app available for mobile devices. 

But there are also some disadvantages to the dedicated app because it is still relatively new. Though the app supports SD, HD, and stereo sound, it does not, at the moment, support 4K and Dolby 5.1 surround sound. But because Amazon is known for its development, this information may be a temporary condition. 

To install the dedicated app, just head to the Microsoft Store and search for the Amazon Prime Video app. It would be wise to check if your PC has the required system specifications for the app to function optimally. Select “Get” to install the dedicated app on your PC.

2.  Smart TV (Android OS / Other brand-specific OS)

A Smart TV is a device that is capable of many advanced functions compared to a standard TV. It can support accessing an internet connection and has computing capabilities that enable it to perform necessary information processing and high-definition multimedia playback. 

With such capabilities, the owner and users of a Smart TV may access different media types such as movies, TV shows, video games, and other services. The selection of these content types is easily accessible through an easy UX/UI interface using the Smart TV’s operating system. 

Like mobile devices with their operating system, Smart TVs also have their specific manufacturer’s operating system. For example, Samsung Smart TV has Linux as its operating system and uses Webkit as its browser. 

This operating system can support the multi-functional features of the device. 

Another critical factor of a Smart TV is its application hub. It is where you will be able to access the dedicated app for your brand of Smart TV. They have listed some brands that carry a dedicated app for Amazon Prime Video on Amazon’s website. 

The list includes Sony, Samsung, Panasonic, LG, and Philips. Please do remember that some supported features differ with each brand and model of Smart TV. And not all features of a Smart TV may not be supported by the dedicated app. 

Regarding Smart TVs, there are also other options so that you can use Amazon Prime Video. 

● There is an assortment of different streaming stick devices and a set-top box available supporting Amazon Prime Video. Amazon has its version in the form of the Amazon Fire Stick and the Fire TV Cube. 

These devices have Amazon Prime Video on default and would be one of the easiest ways to set up your device. Here are other examples of streaming stick devices: 

- Google Chromecast

- Roku devices

- Apple TV

● There are also a lot of Blu-ray players that can support Amazon Prime Video. 

● Lastly, you may also use a game console to access the Amazon Prime Video app. The game consoles with this capability are PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox series X/S. To navigate using the app, you would need to use a gamepad.

3.  MAC

Regarding MACs, Amazon Prime Video is available through the web browser. Due to this, not all features would be supported. 

Offline downloads and X-ray (IMDb) features would not be accessible. However, you would still have a seamless viewing experience as long as you have a stable internet connection and would meet the required minimum broadband specifications to enjoy the videos. 

You can select between Prime shows and movies or the retailer's digital video shop by going to the Amazon Video section of their website. The video quality that may be offered through the web browser is up to HD  quality. There is a dedicated app for iOS, but it would only be for mobile devices. 

4.  PC (Linux)

For PCs using the Linux operating system, the situation would be similar to MACs. There would be no dedicated app for Amazon Prime Video on this platform. You would need to use a web browser to access Amazon Prime Video. 

Similarly, not all features would be supported, and you may not be able to utilize offline downloads and the X-ray (IMDb) feature. But you will still have a seamless viewing experience as long as you have a stable internet connection. 

Just go to the Amazon Video website, where you'll find shows and movies. The only difference with MACs is that, with Linux, you may only view videos in Standard Definition. 

Conclusion

Amazon has invested heavily in its digital video content. Because as demand has increased, businesses have continued to get more creative about creating their products. Since Amazon began producing original video content, it has produced 70 titles in 2019, and it seems that this figure will most likely rise year after year. 

Amazon goes to great lengths to outspend Netflix to win on the shows’ promotion and distribution end. Along with the development of original content, Amazon has expanded its catalog of television shows and movies to include current hits. 

Movies are found on Amazon Prime Video in abundance in the UK. The catalog contained over 18,000 movies from February 2021, a 90% share of the total supply. With this in mind, it’s no wonder Amazon and its VoD service, Amazon Prime Video, are going to greater heights.